A postdoctoral fellow position is available in the Neuroscience Center of Louisiana State University School of Medicine to study the molecular mechanisms that regulate regeneration of the visual pigments and survival or degeneration of photoreceptors in the normal and diseased retinas. The ongoing research projects in the lab include : (1) characterization of two newly identified regulators of the visual cycle--a biochemical pathway that regenerates the visual chromophore acting as a molecular switch for the phototransduction; (2) identification and characterization of new regulator(s) of the visual cycle by expression cloning and/or yeast two-hybrid screening; (3) analysis of the molecular pathway of IRBP action in retinal photoreceptor survival; and (4) rescuing vision loss and retinal degeneration in the mouse models for human blinding diseases, such as Leber congenital amaurosis and retinitis pigmentosa, through genetic and pharmacological approaches. Background informat!
ion for the projects can be found in the following references: Cell (2005) 122:449-59; J. Biol Chem (2007) 282:20915-24; Hum Mutat (2009) 30:1183-9; J. Neurosci (2009) 29:1486-96.

Candidates should have a doctoral degree in biomedical science. Interested candidates with demonstrated skills in molecular biology, retinoid/lipid biochemistry, protein biochemistry, signal transduction, retinal cell biology and/or ophthalmology should send a CV, a letter of application stating research interests and accomplishments, and contact information of three references to Dr. Minghao Jin at mjin@lsuhsc.edu.

Key words: neuroscience, retina, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), vision, cell death, photoreceptor degeneration, visual pigments (rhodopsin and iodopsins), retinoid cycle, enzymology.